This invention relates generally to a system for the design of systems and devices, and more particularly, to a network based system (e.g., the Internet) that enables distributed system and device design.
A plant or company life cycle (e.g., the life cycle of a plant that produces concrete) starts with a need or an opportunity and moves to concept/scope, pre-engineering, detailed engineering, construction, startup/commissioning, and then back to needs and opportunities. Information is gathered at each of these phases.
Throughout these phases, information is gathered and stored for later use. The information is typically maintained in different formats such as fixed printed images on paper or fixed in other media forms such as tapes, diskettes, cartridges, laser disk or compact disk. The Internet and intranets provide some accessibility to the data but problems arise on the networks such as security clearance, knowing the exact location of the data, or having the correct software to view the information. Unfortunately, the information is sometimes stored at multiple locations on the network. Having the same information stored at multiple locations on the network creates version control problems. Since changes to the information does not always occur at all the locations, version control becomes difficult, and perhaps even nonexistent.